Compressor



Jan. zo, 1931. R. H. BEMAN 1,189,694

' coMPREssloR l F i1ed March 3, 1926 2 SheetsShee't 1 ATTORNEY.v

Jan. 20, 1931.

R. H. BEMAN COMPRES SOR Filed March 3, 1926 -2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Iig/VENTOR. A?ansom :Y Maan v BY v ZW ATTORNEY.

Patented Jan. zo, 1931 =UNITED STATES PATENT oFFl'cE A Ransom n. naman, or DETROIT, anoniem, nssIGNoa 'ro coUzENs 1er. maenner:

COMPANY, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN comrnnsson Application mea mmm 3.1926. aerial'y No. 91,942.

This invention relates to compressors, and the method of operating the same, -and has to do particularly with the provision ofa novel compressor ofthe type designed to be used in combination with the conventional household or domestic refrigerating plant. .Y

Hitherto in the manufacture of domestic refrigerating units made up of a compressor, condensingA coils, brine tank lor boiler, the

compressor has presented an important problem with reference to its proper design to effect eicient operation of the refrigerating unit. Compressors of'this type have usually been operated by a suitable ymotor driven shaft, the rotating motion of which shaft has been transmitted to the piston by means of a suitable crank shaft 'enclosed in a crank case, forming a part of the compressor unit.

ADue to this design,l many diicult problems 90 have been introduced, one of which is a provision of suitable bearings and gaskets in the crankcase, to prevent leakage of the gases vthrough vthe crank shaft bearings and crankcase joints. Another diiiculty experienced with the present type of compressor is the provision of suitable tolerance in the crank 'shaft and piston assembly to permit eiicient and continuous operation of the compressor at all seasons of the year.

it The object-of the present invention is to entirely eliminate the use of thel crank shaft, the lcrank shaft bearings, and other movable parts heretofore necessary in transmitting the power from the rotating motor shaft to the reciprocating piston w ere the desired .l work of compressing the gases is performed. Another object ofthe present invention contemplates the use of electrical energy directly at the compressor unit to produce the n necessary power for operating the piston whereby the electrical and mechanical losses in the transmission of the electrical energy rto operate `the iston` structure by inter 'mediate mechanical motions, is entirely obvisited.

' Another object of the invention has to do with the provision of a compressor unit comprising the piston for compressing the gases and sealed leak-proof electrical unit in the form of a solenoid directly connected lwith and designed to operate the piston assembly whereby the resulting compressor unit as a whole will be very compact and present a 'much neater appearance, and thus fit in with the scheme of domestic electrical refrigeration where small, compact units are highly desirable, if not necessary.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation partly in section of my novel compressor unit,showing the piston assembly for compressing the gases and the electrical unit in the form of a solenoid for directly operating the pis-ton.

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic illustration showing the preferred manner of controlling the operation of, the so-lenoid by means of an interrupter circuit.

Fig. 3 is a detailed side elevation, partly in section, of my nterrupter unit.

Fig. 4 illustrates a section taken at right angles to the section shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a detailed perspective view of'an interrupter segment before being built up.

This compressor, although spoken of as a single unit, essentially consists of two connected units, namely, the unit where the desired work of compressing the gases is performed, and the power unit for actuating the compressing unit. The unit for directly receiving and compressing the gases may be designated 1, and comprises in detail a suitable cylinder casting 2, and cylinder head 3.

interposed between the cylinder casting 2 and the cylinder head 3 is a suitable plate 4 carrying a downwardly spring pressed valve 5. `The gases are forced throu h the valve 5., and against a tension thereof y the upward movement of the piston 6, and may be delivered by means of suitable outlets 7 to a condenser or other means formingpart of the desi complete refrigerating unit. The cylinder casting 2 in which the piston 6 reciprocates, ma be cooled by means of suitable cooling jac ets 8. The top part of the piston 6 is provided with suitable outlets 9 and a valve 10,

whereby the gases to be compressed may iowy into the vcylinder during the downward stroke of the piston. The gases to be compressed may be admitted into the chamber 11 ormed at the base of the cylinder casting by any suitable arrangement 11; this arrangement being well known to those versed in the art.

The piston assembly preferably consists of the piston element 6 and the piston. rod 12. One end of this piston rod 12 is secured to the piston and the other end to a suitable solenoid core 13. The solenoid of which the core 13 forms a part, is preferably of the stopped iron-clad type, and may be enerally ated 14. As will be obvious fgrom Fig. 1, thls solenoid unit is directly clamped to the cylinder casting so as to form a complete symmetrical unit, the solenoid, piston and piston rod being in vertical alignment. This solenoid is provided with a sto or pole piece 15 to obtain a large pull during the entire stroke of the core and the `winding 16 of the solenoid is preferably made up of a relatively large number of turns in order to get a proportionately large pull on the upstroke of the core. suitable spring 17 is interposed between the pole piece 15 and the core *13 to assist the downward movement of the core and the piston assembly when the solenoid is de-energized. The core 13 is, upon its downward movement, designed to enter a suitable I dash-pot 18 which may contain oil or any other fluid to cushion the downward movement of the core. A suitable conduit or aperture 19 may be provided in the core 13 to form a restricted passageway for the cushioninfluid.

he core or plunger 13 is designed to be sealed and to reciprocate within a cylindrical sleeve a casing 30. This casing may be made of brass, or other suitable material, the upper end of the casing being pressed around or welded to the pole piece 15 and the bottom end being pressed w1thin or welded to the walls of the dash-pot` 18. Thus the core which is the only moving part of the solenoid is completely sealed to prevent leakage of any' gases.

The reciprocation of the solenoid and piston assembly may be controlled and synchronized by a suitable commutator o`r interrupter which is diagrammatically shown in Fig. 2, and may be `designated 20. This interrupter maybe suitably connected to the winding-of I the solenoid as .illustrated in Fig. 2, and may be initially controlled by means of a suitable switch 21. `As best shown in Fig. 3 the commutator20 is made up of two c indrical elements 21 and 22, each mounte on a suitable ducting part which may be designated 23,l

and which is ,shown in Fig. 5, and a conducting part which may be designated 24, and

vice versa. Thus each commutator presents a cylinder, the periphery or circumference of which is partly made up of a non-conducting material and partly of a conducting material. Either one of the commutator cylinders 21 and 22 may be iixedly secured to the shaft 23a. In Fig. 3 the commutators are shown in interrupting position, andiin Fig. 4 the commutators are shown in conducting position. It is immaterial which commutator is secured to the shaft, the main point being that one of the commutator cylinders is adjustable relative to the other commutator cylinder, whereby the conducting surface on the periphery of the commutator cylinder 20 as a whole may be lengthened or shortened. f

Suitable brushes or contacting elements 24a and 25 may be supported so as to contact with the two surfaces of the commutator cylinders 21 and 22. These brushes are preferably adjustable so as to vary the closed period of the circuit.

closed and the motor for rotating the shaft 23a supported and timed, the commutator or interrupter 20 may be rotated whereby the solenoid will be intermittently energized and de-energized. During the energizing of the solenoid winding the core 13 will be moved upwardly, as shown in Fig. 1, and the gases contained in the space above the piston compressed and forced past the valve 5 into the compressor line and towards the con'- denser. Upon de-energization of the solenoid by reason of the contact of the brushes with the non-conducting part 23 of the commutators, the core 13 will drop by gravity, assisted by the action of the spring 17, and balanced b means of the fluid in the dash-pot 18. This. downward movement of theacore will move the piston towards the lower end of the stroke whereby the gases will pass through the valve 10 and into the space abovel'the t will thus be seen that I. have provided av In operation, the switch 21 having been .Q5-

refrigerating compressor unit which is com pact in structure and-neat in appearance, and which presents a maximum of efficiency in operation in that the electrical energy is used directly by the compressor unit to produce the necessary power for operating the piston, and which structure also eliminates the many undesirable packings and joints which have heretofore been necessary, and have`been a great source of trouble due to leakage there# through.

VWhat I claim is:

1. In a compressor for transmitting a refrigerant, the combination of compressing mechanism including a water cooled piston and cylinder construction and an-operating mechanism for the said compressing mechanism in longitudinal alignment with and secured to the said cylinder construction including a casing, all the moving parts of the said operating mechanism being entirely enclosed within said casing, said casing and cylinder being secured together by a gas tight joint.

2. In a compressor for transmitting a refrigerant, the combination of a fluid cooled piston and cylinder construction for compressingthe gases including a cylinder casting and electrical mechanism positioned longitudinally of and secured to thesaid cylinder cast-ing for directly causing relative movement between the said piston and cylinder, and sealing means for sealing and enclosing the moving parts of said electrical mechanism to positively prevent leakage of the refrigerant.

A3. In a compressor of the type adapted to transmit and compress a refrigerant, the combination of a piston and associated piston rod, cylinder construction fer the piston including a cylinder casting i? nd means for artificially cooling the cylinder wall, and a completely separate actuating unit positioned longitudinallyon and secured directly to one end of said cylinder casting, said actuating unit comprising a housing, a movable member secured directly to the piston rod of the said piston, a solenoid for operating said movable member, and a casing completely sealing said movable member throughout the lengthof its movement. t

4. A refrigerant compressor device comprising the combination of a cylinder opened at one end, a cylinder head for closing the other end of the cylinder, a piston in the cylinder having a piston rod extending out through the open'end ofthe cylinder, said In testimony whereof I have at'xed my'V signature.

RANSOM H. ,BEMAN cylinder having a port at the open end of the cylinder for receiving'the refrigerant, a valve inthe piston for permitting the refrigerant gas to pass therethrough, a valve in the cylinder head whereby the refrigerant may be'compressed between the piston in the ciylllinder head and then discharged through t e head, electro-magnetic operating means 

